393.115/247
The American Embassy in Japan to the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Aide-mémoire
The American Embassy had the honor, in its note No. 892 of March 12, 1938,43 to invite the serious attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the continued occupation by Japanese forces of certain American mission property in Shanghai. The occupation of American property by Japanese military forces is not confined to the cases cited in that note but is a condition which obtains extensively in areas in Central China under occupation by Japanese military forces. American missionaries have been denied access to mission property and during their enforced absence nearly all buildings have been looted and damaged and some have been destroyed by fire.
American mission property at the following named places is occupied at the present time by Japanese troops: Changshu, Changchow, Chinkiang, Liuho, Nanking, Nansiang, Quinsan, Shanghai, Soochow, Sungkiang, Yangchow, and Wusih in the Province of Kiangsu, and Huchow and Kashing in Chekiang Province.
It will, of course, be apparent to the Japanese Government that the action of the Japanese military authorities in preventing American owners or their representatives from occupying or even inspecting their properties prevents them from assessing the damages recently occasioned by Japanese soldiers.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will undoubtedly realize that the attitude of the Japanese military authorities in denying American citizens access to their lands and buildings in the places mentioned is obstructive of the early settlement of claims for damages which have been or are to be presented. For example, although the Japanese Government admitted responsibility for the bombing on November 12 of the American Church Mission at Wusih and indicated its readiness to compensate for losses sustained, it would appear that not even at this late date are representatives of the Mission permitted to resume rightful occupation of or even to inspect the lands and buildings at Wusih with a view to ascertaining losses sustained.
In drawing the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the circumstances above set forth, the American Embassy requests that prompt action be taken by the Japanese Government to cause the evacuation by Japanese forces of American property, and to direct the Japanese military authorities in China to permit American owners or their representatives to occupy or to inspect their properties.
- Not printed.↩